FINAL
IDAHO 24
OHIO 36
Top Performers
IDAHO
Passing: Linehan — 32/52, 345 yds., 2 TD, INT
Rushing: Penny — 16 att., 58 yds., TD
Receiving: McCain — 5 rec., 149 yds., 2 TD
OHIO
Passing: Sprague — 8/13, 167 yds.
Rushing: Oullette — 27 att., 130 yds., 2 TD
Receiving: Cochran — 2 rec., 83 yds.
Final analysis
This was exactly what the Bobcats wanted to happen for them in the fourth quarter. The youngsters, Oullette and Poling, lead the way for Ohio and Poling's third interception of the night with 1:13 remaining sealed the game for Ohio. Oullette looked like a seasoned veteran, especially with his pump fake and run for the Bobcats' final score of the night.
Game leaders
Passing: Linehan — 32/52, 345 yds., 2 TD, INT
Rushing: Oullette — 27 att., 130 yds., 2 TD
Receiving: McCain — 5 rec., 149 yds., 2 TD
4th Quarter
1:13: Poling intercepted Linehan for the third time of the game with 1:13 left in the game.
2:09: AJ Oullette ran for a three-yard touchdown. PAT good by Yazdani. IDAHO 24, OHIO 36
6:34: Linehan found McCain open for a 52-yard touchdown pass. PAT good by Rehkow. IDAHO 24, OHIO 29
7:25: JD Sprague ran up the middle for a touchdown. The two-point conversion was no good after review. IDAHO 17, OHIO 29
9:40: Yazdani hit a 25-yard field goal after a 11 play, 84-yard drive. IDAHO 17, OHIO 23
3rd Quarter analysis
Ohio is hanging by a thread, especially on offense, and the Bobcats will have to step up and push through the adversity if they want to come through with a victory. JD Sprague has looked mediocre at best so far and it may have something to do with the fact that the game has been riding on his shoulders instead of having him come in with nothing to lose.
The defense took a step back in the third quarter, allowing 10 points, but there's no doubt that they have the ability to come back and get it together for the final quarter. Oullette has still been the standout this game and the offense will need a few big plays to get back in the driver's seat.
3rd Quarter leaders
Passing: Linehan — 28/44, 279 yds., TD, INT
Rushing: Oullette — 14 att., 85 yds., TD
Receiving: McCain — 4 rec., 97 yds., TD
Update (9:36 p.m.): The announced crowd of 25,211 marks the third-most in Ohio history.
3rd Quarter
2:34: Rehkow hit a 47-yard field goal. IDAHO 17, OHIO 20
5:38: Yazdani missed a 50-yard field goal.
8:00: Joshua McCain made a one-handed catch on a 34-yard pass from Linehan. PAT good by Rehkow. IDAHO 14, OHIO 20
11:48: Ohio marched down the field on a seven play, 3:12 drive and Yazdani finished it off with a 23-yard field goal. IDAHO 7, OHIO 20
UPDATE (8:49 p.m.): Derrius Vick was ruled out with a knee injury and will have an MRI test to follow.
First half analysis
The Bobcats looked strong on defense for the majority of the half, despite letting the Vandals score in the second half. The goal-line stop on 4th down with seven seconds remaining in the half might be more important than you would think. It's not a game-changer, but it could be a momentum-swing type of thing.
Derrius Vick was carted off the field with an apparent knee injury in the second quarter, after throwing for 68 yards and a touchdown on just 4/6 attempts. JD Sprague was put in the game following the injury, but had a 27-yard touchdown pass to Sebastian Smith called back for an ineligible receiver penalty. The offense will be put to a test in the second half without Vick, because this will be the first time that Sprague has been put in the game in a situation where they are trying to keep a lead rather than come back from behind by at least two touchdowns.
The shining stars for Ohio have looked to be AJ Oullette and the Ohio defensive line. The Bobcats have forced one interception and have sacked Linehan two times for 16 yards, while Oullette has put together a consistent 'ground-and-pound' game, breaking off big play after big play for Ohio.
1st half leaders
Passing: Linehan (IDAHO) — 20/33, 193 yds., INT
Rushing: Oullette (OHIO) — 10 att., 68 yds., TD
Receiving: S. Smith (OHIO) — 2 rec., 50 yds., TD
2nd Quarter
5:22: Elijhaa Penny finishes off a 76-yard drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown. PAT good by Austin Rehkow. IDAHO 7, OHIO 17
10:19: AJ Oullette rushed for a touchdown on a direct snap. PAT good by Yazdani. IDAHO 0, OHIO 17
14:56: Yazdani hit a 31-yard field goal. IDAHO 0, OHIO 10
1st Quarter analysis
Ohio kick-started the game with a great defensive three-and-out and haven't looked back since from the defensive side of the game. The Bobcats have forced the Vandals to punt twice and Quentin Poling came away with an interception on the Vandals' longest drive of the game so far.
On offense, it's still a "work-in-progress" like Frank Solich said, but another fumble by Daz Patterson to start the game on offense wasn't the start they had in mind. The Bobcats have gotten back into their groove since then, scoring on the only other drive. The bright spot for Ohio comes from RB AJ Oullette, who seemed to kick the Bobcats in gear during their scoring drive.
1st Quarter leaders
Passing: Vick — 4/6, 68 yds., TD
Rushing: Oullette — 5 att., 59 yds.
Receiving: S. Smith — 2 rec., 50 yds., TD
1st Quarter
3:39: Quentin Poling intercepted Matt Linehan during Idaho's longest drive so far. Ohio got the ball at its own 27-yard line.
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10:12: Ohio scored on a 12-yard touchdown hookup from Derrius Vick to Sebastian Smith. This was on a drive that saw AJ Oullette rack up 57 yards on three rushes, including a 42-yard run on first down. PAT good by Josiah Yazdani. IDAHO 0, OHIO 7
12:56: Daz Patterson fumbled the ball for the third time this season, on Ohio's second play on offense.
Roster report
OUT: S Nathan Carpenter, WR Landon Smith
IN: S Josh Kristoff, CB Devin Bass
Pre-game
Ohio (1-2) came into Saturday's game looking to pull its record back to .500 and gain its first win in the last two games. The Bobcats fell to both Marshall and Kentucky in the prior two weeks, ending their opening three-game road trip at a 1-2 record.
Idaho (0-2) entered the matchup with Ohio winless, coming straight off a 45-33 defeat to Mid-American Conference opponent Western Michigan. The Vandals' quarterback Matt Linehan has thrown for 686 yards and six touchdowns in two games, good for a 60.23 completion percentage. His only mistakes came from three interceptions, but the redshirt freshman has put up two consecutive 300+ yard passing games to start the season.
